Definitely starting to get into some unknown territory here with tagging and social bookmarking.
I think this particular unfamiliarity has been a bit of a struggle for me to get my head around -- "why would you need to tag", "what are the benefits". I can see how tags can short cut a lot of research rigmarole. To me, it sort of seems a bit inadequate though, relying on people to have tagged correctly. And it does put into play the issue of subjective categorising -- are the tags really what they should be?? Who decides?? Or, more specifically, who should decide?? Perhaps I'm still stuck in taxonomy and need to evolve my thinking towards folksonomy eh??
It's possible I just haven't been completely sold on this yet. Needless to say, social bookmarking has taken off and it's something that we as a Library would need to get hold of and not fall behind on. It's probably a really useful tool for those who are the Web 2.0 generation. Personally, for me (and not that I'm really far removed from that so-called younger generation anyways ...) it's something I can understand conceptually could be useful but I think I still need to be sold vis-a-vis its overall practicality (if that makes sense).
What I do think is good about it is the shared/social aspect of it. I guess that in itself seems to be the whole nexus of Web 2.0 anyway ...
Anyhoo: http://del.icio.us/mikey66e
Monday, July 21, 2008
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Week 7: Video online
Showcasing oral histories, library building projects, staff orientations, guides to using library services, book reviews, exhibitions ... absolutely. Having searched through those links as provided on the Learning 2.0 site there is so much potential for the Library to use Video Online and I think it can engage each of those various things - and more - like oral histories, building projects, guides, orientations, reviews, exhibitions, events, speeches, vox pops, Towne Meetings. Possibly even "Getting To Know You" videos ... showcasing a team or a "day-in-the-life-of-X" segment. I mean, all or none of these could be used but I think, really, this has so much potential for the Library, both looking at it as a form of internal comms but also as a form of external comms to clients and stakeholders.
State Library of NSW
Recognise a few faces in this one ...
State Library - The Hip Place To Be
I only saw the first half of this video. Cute.
State Library of NSW
Recognise a few faces in this one ...
State Library - The Hip Place To Be
I only saw the first half of this video. Cute.
Week 6: RSS
What do you like about RSS and newsreaders?
I had largely ignored RSS and newsreaders because, as part of my daily routine, I would actively go in search of whatever it is that I'm wanting to look up/research. But just experimenting with RSS now, I see how much time I've potentially wasted in the past as it does the search job for me. It is very handy. At the same time, I can see how I can potentially "waste" even more time going through all of my news items ... almost like the constant battle I face with my email inbox -- I demand Zero items unread, Email inbox demands I have 186 items unread -- I will want to make sure everything is read and won't be satisfied until I'm at 0.
But I think this says more about me than it does about RSS feeds ...
What sites did you select for your RSS reader?
The recommended ones:
ABC News Top Stories
ABS Blog for Librarians
Powerhouse Museum Photo of the Day
SMH News Blog (which I'd never had much use in reading before but now that I have it as an RSS feed have engaged with it and have found some of it to be quite entertaining)
Have also added the RSS feed for Yahoo Sports - Tennis which, apart from my Yahoo Mail, is probably the site that I have visited the most in my internet career to date.
How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work?
I think this will help in terms of subscribing to the latest news that pertains to (or close to) the line of work we do. I think it will probably encourage me to incorporate more professional reading into my day, which I think is somewhat important.
How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
Unsure as yet re: how but the potential is definitely there. Perhaps the Library can provide an RSS feed to the latest news or events?
Did you find any good examples of other library, or other relevant, blogs?
http://feeds.feedburner.com/LibraryJournalNews
I had largely ignored RSS and newsreaders because, as part of my daily routine, I would actively go in search of whatever it is that I'm wanting to look up/research. But just experimenting with RSS now, I see how much time I've potentially wasted in the past as it does the search job for me. It is very handy. At the same time, I can see how I can potentially "waste" even more time going through all of my news items ... almost like the constant battle I face with my email inbox -- I demand Zero items unread, Email inbox demands I have 186 items unread -- I will want to make sure everything is read and won't be satisfied until I'm at 0.
But I think this says more about me than it does about RSS feeds ...
What sites did you select for your RSS reader?
The recommended ones:
ABC News Top Stories
ABS Blog for Librarians
Powerhouse Museum Photo of the Day
SMH News Blog (which I'd never had much use in reading before but now that I have it as an RSS feed have engaged with it and have found some of it to be quite entertaining)
Have also added the RSS feed for Yahoo Sports - Tennis which, apart from my Yahoo Mail, is probably the site that I have visited the most in my internet career to date.
How do you think you might be able to use this technology in your work?
I think this will help in terms of subscribing to the latest news that pertains to (or close to) the line of work we do. I think it will probably encourage me to incorporate more professional reading into my day, which I think is somewhat important.
How can libraries use RSS or take advantage of this new technology?
Unsure as yet re: how but the potential is definitely there. Perhaps the Library can provide an RSS feed to the latest news or events?
Did you find any good examples of other library, or other relevant, blogs?
http://feeds.feedburner.com/LibraryJournalNews
Week 4: Wikis
It's been a while since my last post -- I had some time off for being sick and I guess I'd lost some traction since. But I think, in all honesty, I was also a bit stumped by the activities for Week 4. Wikis.
I guess, in a lot of ways, it's difficult for me to say what it is I find interesting about wikis and what I think would work well because for me it just seems like wikis (and Wikipedia) have always just been there. It just is. It might be a bit of my own inherent naivety but I actually had no understanding of the concept of Web 2.0 and co-collaboration when I was exposed (and addicted) to wikis from a while back.
I think, going back to the first time I used wikis, what I found quite interesting was the argument that wikis would contribute to a "dumbing down" of online information, particularly the sense of what could you trust and what you couldn't. I can understand this argument, and have certainly come across a wikidoozy or two, but I think my experience of wikis has generally been positive. People who contribute to a topic are, yes, generally passionate (sometimes fanatical) about their subject at hand but maybe it's that passion about their subject that makes contributors most fervent about making sure details are factual and substantiated. There is always a risk that content is biased/subjective but, hey, I think that's a risk that we take when we expose ourselves to any information medium in this day and age. Who can we really trust?
I have no doubt the Library could use wikis for its purposes, and I even think that those who would be most passionate about contributing would possibly be those from outside of the Library. I'm not really certain yet as to exactly what information in the Library we would be wikifying but as an information organisation in this day and age, it is certainly important for the Library to open its information channels as a collaborative means rather than as a pure disseminator of information.
I guess, in a lot of ways, it's difficult for me to say what it is I find interesting about wikis and what I think would work well because for me it just seems like wikis (and Wikipedia) have always just been there. It just is. It might be a bit of my own inherent naivety but I actually had no understanding of the concept of Web 2.0 and co-collaboration when I was exposed (and addicted) to wikis from a while back.
I think, going back to the first time I used wikis, what I found quite interesting was the argument that wikis would contribute to a "dumbing down" of online information, particularly the sense of what could you trust and what you couldn't. I can understand this argument, and have certainly come across a wikidoozy or two, but I think my experience of wikis has generally been positive. People who contribute to a topic are, yes, generally passionate (sometimes fanatical) about their subject at hand but maybe it's that passion about their subject that makes contributors most fervent about making sure details are factual and substantiated. There is always a risk that content is biased/subjective but, hey, I think that's a risk that we take when we expose ourselves to any information medium in this day and age. Who can we really trust?
I have no doubt the Library could use wikis for its purposes, and I even think that those who would be most passionate about contributing would possibly be those from outside of the Library. I'm not really certain yet as to exactly what information in the Library we would be wikifying but as an information organisation in this day and age, it is certainly important for the Library to open its information channels as a collaborative means rather than as a pure disseminator of information.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
This week's lesson is a pertinent one for me as I've always been a bit image-shy when blog posting (text comes so much easier sometimes). In an attempt to try out both lessons (a link to an image and an embedded image in the post), I've picked out two photos to demonstrate the State Library's values.
Energy & Teamwork
This one probably doesn't need too much explanation in terms of teamwork. This is an amazing photo (although it has been touched up for optimisation), I love the contrast and juxtaposition of the silhouetted people against the backdrop of the ocean, I think it really brings out the boldness of the colour but also the boldness of the subjects. I also really love the blend from sand to ocean, appearing to co-habit as one almost (perhaps bringing us back to the concept of oneness with nature and oneness of nature?). And just the starkness of the red and the starkness of the silhouettes, but both stark for differing reasons.
This photo is in a series of some other amazing photos in sahrizvi's photostream on Flickr:
Innovation & Engagement
I thought this was an interesting one to demonstrate innovation -- innovative technology for its time no doubt, but also to demonstrate how far technological innovation has come since. These days astrological calculations are done on computer software without much manual intervention.
It also demonstrates engagement because, well, as a student of astrology, this was personally engaging for me! As a student, I think I've benefited greatly from the innovations in calculation software because, if I had studied this pre-computerisation, I don't think I would've gotten anywhere! And I certainly wouldn't have engaged anywhere near as much if I had to do that much manual geometric calculation :)
Monday, April 21, 2008
I'm not exactly sure what my aversion has been to blogging in the past. Heck, I'm not exactly sure what my aversion has been to technology as a whole. I've officially created a blog on LiveJournal and, lo and behold, I even have an account with that (dreaded) Facebook. Perhaps it has to do with an instinctive urge to "hide" rather than to "expose" ... but that would be a very anti-socialmedia-like approach going into the future.
Alas, I hope to gain some traction with blogging, learn to feel more comfortable with the reveal and keep developing my awareness of new technologies which, fortunately (and unfortunately), are as much a part of life these days as anything.
Alas, I hope to gain some traction with blogging, learn to feel more comfortable with the reveal and keep developing my awareness of new technologies which, fortunately (and unfortunately), are as much a part of life these days as anything.
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